TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE: “American Idol,”
8 p.m., Fox.
This show is still in its hurry-up
stage, dumping four people a week. At the end of tonight, however, it
will have its final 12 and start dropping only one a week.
Those dozen will find some fame – as
can be seen by tonight's guests.
Last season, Scott MacIntyre finished
eighth and Matt Giraud was fifth. During breaks, the two piano men
jammed; in the “Idol” finale, they planned to do “Tell Her
About It” with Billy Joel, who wrote it.
That fell through when Joel couldn't be
there, but tonight they'll do it without him. That's on the same day
MacIntyre's album comes out. It's already his sixth album, at age 24;
always in a hurry, MacIntyre had his first college degree at 19.
TONIGHT'S MIGHT-SEE: “Archer,” 10
p.m., FX.
Hollywood loves showing ex-lovers
bickering. This episode adds to the fun by having that happen during
a wild car-and-motorcycle chase through Paris.
Soon, Sterling Archer and Lana both
feel they have job offers from a competing spy firm. For him, that
would mean his mother would no longer be his boss.
“Archer” has moments that gets
crude, graphic and simply excessive. Still, it's often very funny,
especially in this episode, a week before the season finale.
Other choices include:
– “Grey's Anatomy,” 8 and 9 p.m.,
ABC. First is a rerun of a good episode in which Owen hires a former
Iraq colleague (Kim Raver), stirring jealousy; also, Izzie returns,
bringing her former mentor (Joel Grey), now slipping into Alzheimer's
disease. Then is a new case in which Richard wants to tackle a
difficult operation. He's no longer the chief, though, so Derek will
decide.
– “Community,” 8 p.m., NBC.
Katharine McPhee, a former “American Idol” runner-up, plays the
step-daughter of Pierce (Chevy Chase). Jeff is supposed to help them
get along; that becomes complicated when she seems interested in
Jeff.
– “The Office,” 9 p.m., NBC. Jim
is just back from paternity leave and Dwight is causing him trouble.
Meanwhile, Andy and Erin try their first date; Michael tries to
please the new owner (Kathy Bates).
– “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,”
9 p.m., CBS. The murder of a boy may be linked to a past case.
– “30 Rock,” 9:30 p.m., NBC. In
the previous episode – which was, alas, a month ago – Jack wooed
a gorgeous CNBC reporter (Elizabeth Banks). Now she learns NBC is
being sold to a cable company.
– “The Mentalist,” 10 p.m., CBS.
Already poisoned, a scientist has only hours to live. She wants the
team to catch her killer.
– “True Crime With Aphrodite Jones”
debut, 10 p.m., ID (Investigation Discovery). Jones, a true-crime
author, will dig into a past case each week, starting here with Laci
Peterson. Some of this seems to involve manipulating the facts to fit
a story. Modesto, Cal., a city of 189,000 people, is passed off as
“a small town” and “a close-knit town”; also, Jones seems to
require all people to grieve in the same way. Still, it's compelling
to again hear (via police recordings) Scott Peterson's audacious lies
to his mistress.
– “Private Practice,” 10:01 p.m.,
ABC. Addison must make difficult decisions involving a surrogate
mother who is carrying three babies. Sam's girlfriend (Christina
Chang) soon disagrees with her.